


Virgo:

by LeedlingwithRageHappy



Series: Prompt Challenge 2016 [11]
Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter/Funhaus RPF
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Angst, M/M, One Shot, Separations, joelay - Freeform, practice writing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-12
Updated: 2016-06-12
Packaged: 2018-07-14 16:50:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 767
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7181123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LeedlingwithRageHappy/pseuds/LeedlingwithRageHappy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>probably has a million unfinished projects. double and then triple and then quadruple texts you. needs space. laughs at literally everything and gets louder as they get more enthusiastic. can’t let go of someone, even if they’re long gone.</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	Virgo:

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt #26: A story about nostalgia

His indent is still in the couch. Joel knows because he’s careful to avoid sitting in that spot just to preserve the way it has molded to fit Ray. Coasters are strategically placed as well, one next to the lamp, the other directly in front of the couch and sitting on the coffee table. Ray always did have a habit of moving his coke cans around. 

Joel takes a sip from his drink, staring at Ray’s spot as if the young man is there now. Joel sees a smile on Ray’s face and can’t help but to give one of his own back. Ray starts jabbering on about a new game while Joel sits in silence, pacing out his gulps so he can catch every word Ray says. 

“Does that make sense?” Ray questions, making Joel turn to him. Or at least in his direction. 

Joel shrugs, but then backtracks to give a sincere nod after seeing the way Ray’s face drops a bit. 

“I knew I liked you.” A grin has taken up Ray’s face and Joel is sure that the sun never shined brighter until this moment. He lifts his hand up to reach out to Ray until the shrill sound of his phone grabs his attention.

“Fuck,” Joel mumbles and digs into his pocket. “Yeah?” he answers in a sharp tone. 

“Hey, Joel. Sorry to call you so unexpectedly. Just wanted to see how you were doing.”

It’s Burnie and Joel turns to Ray to tell him such, only to see that Ray’s gone again. Letting out a heavy sigh, Joel falls back against the couch, tipping his head back to look at the ceiling.

“I’m fine,” he mumbles out, but he knows Burnie’s already onto him. A long silence passes between the two men and Joel takes to listening to the ticking of the clock that hangs above his couch. 

“Look,” Burnie begins. “It’s been a year now. I’m not expecting you to feel miraculously better about the whole thing, but you should really get out once in a while. Seeing other people might help.”

Joel’s brows furrow at the words, “the whole thing” because it wasn’t just that. It was his energy, why he got up in the mornings and felt that his patterns were justified. All it took was one touch, a whispered phrase between embraces, and everything was right in the world. 

“Ray’s not coming back, Joel. I...I just don’t know what else to tell you,” Burnie speaks softly, so much so that Joel almost doesn’t catch it. 

“No, I know,” Joel feels tired as his words start to drawl. “I just wish I had done some things differently.”

It was all so silly really. Stupid arguments over little things had stacked up and before Joel could even have a chance to apologize, Ray was no longer there. Desperate phone calls and multiple texts had been sent flying from Joel’s phone until the lack of replies made Joel face his new reality. Now, here he was, sitting on the phone with his friend, unable to talk about what hurt him most.

“Yeah,” is all Burnie finally replies with, but this is good enough for Joel. He can hear the sincerity in his friend’s voice and that’s all he really wants. 

“I’ll try to make it to your party this weekend, okay?” Joel struggles to find a lighter tone in his voice and hopes what’s coming out is passable. 

“Alright, sounds good. Call if you need anything.”

Joel is thankful Burnie’s goodbye is short and simple. Despite some choice words, Burnie is probably one of the few that knows him best and Joel knows he wouldn’t want to be talking to anyone else. 

As he hangs up the phone, he turns back to Ray’s spot and sees the young man smiling at him. 

“Ready to face the world again?” Ray asks playfully. His eyes hold a touch of pride, making Joel cave in and smile as well.

“I think so. You’ll be here when I come back though, right?”

Ray shrugs while giving Joel a coy smile. “That’s up to you.” 

Joel muddles around with the meaning in Ray’s words and laughs softly to himself as he gets up. A short walk might help figure what Ray’s on about so Joel slips on his shoes while looking around for his keys. His mind starts to wander elsewhere, but he can feel a shift in the room and takes one last look at the indented spot on the couch before opening his front door to head out into the hazy afternoon.

**Author's Note:**

> Is Ray dead or just living elsewhere? We don't know. 
> 
> The astrology description is from [this](http://rianne-iisms.tumblr.com/post/141125961475/aries-the-little-leader-of-their-friend-group) post


End file.
